🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Frank Lampard

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

He probably should not have started. Did not look fit. But some nice long balls and he was decent in the build up. A few inaccurate passes. This game was not his best, but there were worse players on the pitch.

[Phil Driver 503]

He could have of course played a 95% slow sideways pass game . But is that really what we need? I Jose obviously doesnt hink so ,him and Rammy bossed it again and with better play from our front 4 we win this easily ,they were wasteful Frank set up Ba four or five times with great first time vision.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

This game showed what I mean by Lampard being deployed in a position that is alien to him.

In the first 15 minutes he was in his element, we had a glimpse of a Lampard of old, spraying marvellous long balls left and right, with time on the ball and no defensive duties as we were pinning Norwich back and playing direct football with a strong, tall and up-for-it Ba leading the line.

After that, especially in the second half we got the Lampard of today, the Lampard that's resorting time and time again to attempting to hold, grab and tug players' shirts as they still go past him with ease, whilst leaving inviting gaps in a crucial area in front of our back 4.

We look very fragile at the back, but not because of the back four itself, but the two players who are deployed in front of it, Ramires is world-class at what he does, and that mitigates the problem a little but it's still obvious to see we need a lot better to parter him.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Excellent in the first 15 minutes, pretty poor in the remaining 75. Misplaced way too many simple passes and went missing for ages in the second half. Our formation just doesn't suite him.

[Phil Driver 503]

Another one with poor reading of a game ,still sounds like you are pining for Mikel,who was not even on the bench .

Jose has got this spot on since Mikel was dropped we have been on a great run and Lampard has been class.

Special managers work things out and Jose has worked this one out very quickly as I expected.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

This game showed what I mean by Lampard being deployed in a position that is alien to him.

In the first 15 minutes he was in his element, we had a glimpse of a Lampard of old, spraying marvellous long balls left and right, with time on the ball and no defensive duties as we were pinning Norwich back and playing direct football with a strong, tall and up-for-it Ba leading the line.

After that, especially in the second half we got the Lampard of today, the Lampard that's resorting time and time again to attempting to hold, grab and tug players' shirts as they still go past him with ease, whilst leaving inviting gaps in a crucial area in front of our back 4.

We look very fragile at the back, but not because of the back four itself, but the two players who are deployed in front of it, Ramires is world-class at what he does, and that mitigates the problem a little but it's still obvious to see we need a lot better to parter him.

Thats because Rami and Lamps are too similar, both are box to box midfielders who like to get up and support the strikers but Ramires is capable of recovering due to his speed and mobility unlike Lampard who often tries to foul players/shirt tug them back. I didn't see the game today but I've seen Lampard do this far too often, especially last season.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Another one with poor reading of a game ,still sounds like you are pining for Mikel,who was not even on the bench .

Jose has got this spot on since Mikel was dropped we have been on a great run and Lampard has been class.

Special managers work things out and Jose has worked this one out very quickly as I expected.

Jesus christ.. all I'm saying...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Jesus christ.. all I'm saying...

Nope, I don't think even he can make any sense of that..

[Phil Driver 503]

What is it with you Mikel fanboys?

Jose picks on performance and results ,not on mythical attributes like 90% sideways passes ,surely you will wise up soon ?

Class is permanent and rubbish trains alone at Cobham .

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

No one has even mentioned Mikel's name but you Phil.

We are talking about Lampard here.

[Phil Driver 503]

You can talk all you want squire ,Jose picks the team and he knows class when he sees it ,hence Lampard will play and the fanboys can make their excuses ,he was class today and controlled the midfield .

He has cemented his place in the team now,Jose has worked things out ,even if some fans have not.

zeez are facts. Not surprised you do not want to talk about Mikel mate

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

I'm reading Dominic Fifield's article/ match summary on The Guardian and also the comments. Unsurprisingly, the great majority also see our great flaw in midfield in the way Lampard is being played.

Here is the link Phil, it's not only a few who are seeing the problem with Frank starting all these games in the pivot.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/06/norwich-city-chelsea-premier-league

[Phil Driver 503]

Dominic who in the Guardian? ,dont make me laugh . I am reading Jose Mourinho and his team selection .

Lets not take this to farcical levels now ,the Guardian? who does he support Spurs or Arsenal ?

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

It was more of a reference to the comments down the page, from mostly Chelsea fans giving their sincere take on the game, the actual article isn't really that relevant.

You are sort of taking this the wrong way Phil, Lampard is and will always be a legend at the Bridge, what we are really discussing here is his selection and performances in a position he can't execute fully, leaving us exposed at the back and a little disjointed with our attacking lines, unless you play like we did in the first half, long balls into the tall, strong centre foward, even that only solves one problem and the defensive flaw would still remain.

[Phil Driver 503]

I am discussing the same ,there were no long balls ,they are high balls that are hit and hope balls that a forward fights for ,Lampard saw the space behind their back four and played Demba in this meant their back four had to drop off ,slow sideways balls have the opposite effect ,sorry mate but fans are ignorant about the game and jouranlists have prejudice opinions

I am nore than happy to share a view with Mourinho,although I saw it a long time ago ,but Jose was always going to see that Mikel is our problem (and I know you dont want to talk about him) but seeing as him and Lampard seem to be in competition for a start it does seem relevant and from what I can see Essien is next in line to play now.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Frank is doing a job for the team because we really don't have anyone else who can do it. He's learning a new position at the age of 35 and needs time like other players learning this new system. He's also got to build that rapport with Ramires so they can get used to managing their responsibilities better. Rami doesn't have Lamps range of passing from deep and Lamps doesn't have Rami's defensive workrate.

The one thing he never does is duck out or disappear and that is massively important for the other players on the pitch and the fans in the ground. Of course we need reinforcements in that area but that's not going to be solved any time soon.

[The only place to be 11,313]

90% pass completion yesterday as well (coming off 92% against Steaua) shows just how important he is in retaining the ball too, despite some misguided fans talking shit about him losing the ball yesterday.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

90% pass completion yesterday as well (coming off 92% against Steaua) shows just how important he is in retaining the ball too, despite some misguided fans talking shit about him losing the ball yesterday.

Except that 6 of the 7 passes he misplaced yesterday were easy short passes: http://www.fourfourtwo.com/statszone/8-2013/matches/694966/player-stats/2051/1_PASS_13#tabs-wrapper-anchor

Which is why a lot of people were complaining about his passing yesterday.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Completed 61 out of 68 passes, including the one that set up the first goal and some fans moan about him missing 5 short passes.

The guy's a legend doing a job he's not really been asked to do for most of his career and he's stepping up to the challenge like he always has. Keep it up legend.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Completed 61 out of 68 passes, including the one that set up the first goal and some 'fans' moan about him missing short passes.

The guy's a legend doing a job he's not really been asked to do for most of his career and he's stepping up to the challenge like he always has. Keep it up legend.

Yes, he's a legend and so is Drogba and Zola and Osgood. But that's not really the point. The point was that his short passing was off yesterday and that has nothing to do with the role he's playing as he's expected to make those short passes regardless of where he plays on the pitch, unless you think his previous role was a being a goal keeper..

I actually think he was doing better than the start of the season in the games against Tottenham and Steaua, but yesterday he was pretty poor apart from the goal.